Hertfordshire Cycle Strategy Scrutiny 10/2009

CYCLING STRATEGY TOPIC GROUP – 14 and 16 OCTOBER 2009

Agenda Item 4(e)

Hertfordshire Cycle Strategy Scrutiny 10/2009

Comments from Stephen Wragg, Chair - St Albans Cycle Campaign

STACC was formed in 1998 and since then we have worked with local authorities and Highways staff to promote a more cycle-friendly road / route network. We have witnessed complacency and disinterest in tackling these issues from the majority of staff we have encountered. Elected representatives, whilst supportive generally choose not to get involved. There are exceptions, and we need to build on this.

The Strategy

The Strategy contains a great deal of very good information, and was drafted to be very similar to our neighbouring Highways authorities. It does however embody a number of concepts that are contrary to the status-quo - ie a car-centric view of the highways network, with the aim of moving ever increasing numbers of vehicles.

Some of the the Strategy items originally drawn up as 'policy' were moved into a section starting on p58 referred to as 'statements not policy'. This was done, as we understand, due to feedback in pre-public consultation. These 14 items typically form part of other local authority Strategies, and we assume if you look back over the submissions at that time you will find the person / persons who are reluctant to promote cycling through these nationally adopted policies.

Strategy implementation

Is the Strategy working? in the sense that it is driving a programme of change definitely not!

There are areas where some work is being done, but generally either slowly, debatable quality, or reluctantly.

Reasons for poor implementation, and comments:

p4 CS1 'The Strategy initiative devolves programme delivery to LTP's'. LTP's generally contain very little of relevance to cycling - certainly in the St Albans area. Therefore this disconnection between the initiative and delivery is a real problem.

p5 CS8 The Strategy sets out a framework which 'will allow County Council annual assessment of progress towards its objectives'. We believe this has not been done.

p5 CS9 Increase of cycling by 11% by 2010/11. We would question who argued for this very unambitious target to be set so low.

p8 CS22 Sets out reasons for potential failure to deliver. All of which are relevant to us. We believe the commitment from top down is one of 'lip-service, or box-ticking', with engineers on the ground designing schemes with little or no personal experience of cycling, commenting: "We are amazed you cycle, isn't it really dangerous?". This leads to a reluctance to do work that would encourage cycling.

HCS1 - 12 contain very good policy commitments, from our perspective we would struggle to find evidence to suggest they have been adopted / actioned.

p9 HCS1 Strategy will need regular updating... written in 2006, due to be revised in 2010, was this interval too long?

p9 CS27 How many staff have taken the Cycling England training programme?

HCS2 HCC to develop an LTP funded programme to increase cycling trips? Staff will be trained?

HCS5 There seems to be a real reluctance to roll out 20mph speedlimits, unlike our neighbouring authorities, (London, Cambridge, Oxford). In St Albans our 2009 LTP announces a 20mph 'trial' in 3 quiet roads, while other authorities are implementing 20mph speedlimits en masse in residential areas. We know lowering vehicle speed, and creating a calm road-space will be hugely beneficial in encouraging more cycling.

'...give appropriate priority and advantage to cyclists at junctions' This refers to Advance Stop Lines, which were explicitly moved to Strategy p58 as referred to above. ASL's would provide enormous benefit to us locally, they have been adopted nationally for years. We managed to have ASL's installed on just one junction in St Albans prior to the Strategy being produced. This was through intense campaigning, and help from members (now partially removed subsequently by engineers). There have been no ASL's installed in St Albans since 2006.

HCS6 Cycle parking is one area where good progress has been made.

HCS7 We do not believe maintenance standards have been properly set or adequately funded. Certainly locally our premier NCN route the Alban Way has a very poor surface, which realistically excludes all but mountain-bikers, and makes it hard for children to cycle safely on it's broken surface. We have not received any indication that this will be rectified in the foreseeable future, or will be assessed as part of a maintenance programme.

HCS9 Only Watford in the county has a Cycle Map, other areas have cycling as part of an 'Activity Map', some towns have not been addressed at all.

HCS9 While issues are aired at the Forum, it could be seen as a PR exercise in attempting to contain local cycle groups frustration.

HCS12 Development with sustainable travel in mind - little evidence locally. Napsbury residential development - no links to St Albans for cyclist. Ditto London Colney - ColneyFieldsRetailPark.

p20-21 ACTIONS should be carefully investigated for genuine progress!

General Comments

There is little evidence to suggest the Strategy has changed the 'default behaviour'. Where good progress has been made, previously in Welwyn Hatfield, and on-going in Watford, the motivation has come from local commitment not County.

Provision for cyclists countywide is patchy.

Map for instance:

Cycle infrastructure

Advance Stop Lines installed at junctions

20mph zones

County budget for implementing this strategy is set extremely low, so little can be done, last figures we have been given were 600k / £0.60 per person.

Contrast with London £62m 2008/9 spend: £8.26 per person.

Staffing levels are far too low to achieve the Strategy aims. For David Burt to be given a 2nd job (Strat Manager for Broxbourne), shows how little importance is given to the Cycling Strategy implementation.

In conclusion

We believe awareness, and commitment to reducing vehicle traffic can only be achieved to a knowledge of best practise elsewhere, through visits and training. There is no leadership in Hertfordshire - visibly promoting this cause, unlike for instance the Mayor in London.

Or are reasons for poor adoption of a more benign environment short-term financial gain? A hectic road network is an expensive one to maintain, damaged infrastructure, quickly worn road surface. A road network perceived as dangerous will suppress alternatives to the private car, and through congestion lead to calls for more road building.

However, against all the odds, we have a growing number of cyclists in St Albans, and we would mention the 300-500 commuters who cycle to St Albans daily, and ask officers or members to imagine the congestion if the commuters had chosen to travel by car to the station!

Stephen Wragg

Chair - St Albans Cycle Campaign

7/10/2009

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